European graphic papers shipments decline 2.8% year-over-year in February, to 2.905 million tonnes, with results down for all sectors except uncoated woodfree: Euro-Graph

Diane Keaton

LOS ANGELES , April 25, 2014 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – Industry Intelligence editor’s note: Euro-Graph is no longer releasing its monthly statistics in the following month but is instead waiting two months. Thus, the February statistics were released April 25 instead of March 25.

The February 2014 shipments of European graphic papers reached 2.905 million tonnes, decreasing 2.8% from those of February 2013, according to the European Association of Graphic Paper Producers (Euro-Graph).

This was the second straight month of negative results, following December 2013’s positive results, which were the first positive year-over-year figures since January 2013’s 1.0% increase over January 2012.

In February 2014, the European graphic papers producers shipped 2.424 million tonnes to Europe, decreasing 2.2% year-over-year, and 481,000 tonnes to outside of Europe, down 5.8%. Total European demand of 2.491 million tonnes declined 2.2% year-over-year.

(European demand, which includes both Western and Eastern Europe, is partly estimated; for woodfree grades it excludes Russian domestic deliveries. Other than newsprint, for each of the three mechanical grades for which figures are shown, the shipments to Europe and the European demand are the same.)

In February 2014, as in January 2014, only uncoated woodfree (UWF) paper showed positive results. (UWF was also up in December 2013.) Euro-Graph’s other covered grades include newsprint, SC-Magazine, coated mechanical reels, uncoated mechanical (improved and others), and coated woodfree (CWF) papers.

February 2014 shipments of UWF increased 1.8% year-over-year, to 603,000 tonnes, following the year-over-year gain in January 2014 of 1.4% and in December of 4.3%. In February 2014, the UWF producers shipped 528,000 tonnes to Europe, up 1.4%, and they exported 74,000 tonnes, up 4.6%. European demand was 562,000 tonnes, for a gain of 1.5%.

For the first two months of 2014, the UWF producers shipped 1.277 million tonnes, up 1.8% from the year-ago period. This included 1.108 million tonnes to Europe, for an increase of 2.0%, and 168,000 tonnes to outside of Europe, unchanged. European demand of 1.175 million tonnes grew 2.1%.

The February 2014 deliveries of CWF dropped 3.6% from a year ago, to 558,000 tonnes. CWF producers delivered 456,000 tonnes to Europe, down 1.5%, and 102,000 tonnes to outside of Europe, dropping 11.7%. European demand was 478,000 tonnes, down 2.5%.

The January/February shipments of 1.164 million tonnes fell 3.0%, with 938,000 tonnes shipped to Europe, down 2.5%, and 226,000 tonnes shipped to outside of Europe, down 5.3%. European demand of 982,000 tonnes fell 3.3%.

The newsprint decline of 0.7% in February 2014 over February 2013 was less severe than in most recent year-over-year results in the past year. Newsprint producers delivered 696,000 tonnes in February. Domestic shipments of 583,000 tonnes fell 0.5% while exports declined 2.1%. European demand of 595,000 tonnes rose 0.2%.

The first two months saw newsprint shipments of 1.382 million tonnes, for a decrease of 2.3% compared to the year-ago period. Deliveries to Europe of 1.165 million tonnes fell 1.7% and to outside of Europe they dropped 5.5%, to 217,000 tonnes. European demand of 1.199 million tonnes dropped 0.4%.

Shipments of coated mechanical reels totaled 562,000 tonnes in February 2014, falling 3.5% year-over-year. This included 448,000 tonnes delivered to Europe and 113,000 tonnes exported, for respective declines of 3.7% and 2.6%.

The year-to-date shipments of coated mechanical reels totaled 1.121 million tonnes, falling 3.8% from the year-ago period, with 878,000 tonnes shipped to Europe, down 3.2%, and 243,000 tonnes shipped to outside of Europe, down 6.1%.

Deliveries of SC-Magazine papers of 294,000 tonnes in February 2014 were down 11.8% year-over-year, including 251,000 tonnes delivered domestically and 42,000 tonnes exported, for respective declines of 9.7% and 22.7%.

For the first two months of 2014, SC-Magazine papers shipments reached 610,000 tonnes, falling 8.3%, with 516,000 tonnes shipped to Europe, down 9.0%, and 95,000 tonnes shipped to outside of Europe, down 4.4%.

In uncoated mechanical (improved and others) papers, the February 2014 shipments totaled 193,000 tonnes, falling 4.7%. Europe was shipped 156,000 tonnes, for a 5.0% decrease, and the figure for outside of Europe was 37,000 tonnes, down 3.5%.

The January-February figure for uncoated mechanical (improved and others) papers was 386,000 tonnes, for a decrease of 3.6%. This included 313,000 tonnes shipped domestically and 73,000 tonnes shipped to outside of Europe, lower than the year-ago period by 3.8% and 2.7%, respectively.

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